In power semiconductor devices such as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), diodes, field effect transistors, for example, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), thermal energy may be released. For example, thermal energy pulses may be released during switching off a power device. In some cases, these high thermal exposures may be accompanied by current filaments that may cause hotspots and may even lead to destruction of the semiconductor power device.
Accordingly, thermal management of power devices becomes a limiting factor for the progress in miniaturization and the advance in power density. With reduced sizes of the semiconductor devices, the area that may dissipate heat is reduced. As a consequence, concepts for handling the increasing power density and especially the increasing heat generated during switching off with shrinking device dimensions are desired.